The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-09-13
BETWEEN THE LINES.
by WALLACE +. REED.

HE captain had been entertaining me with
| some of his war experiences. He had seen a
rough timo in East Tennessee. Between the
| federals and the union bushwhackers, who
were quite numerous in that region, he had
found 1t necessary to do some hard fighting
and some swift running.
| Ncs," continued the captain, ''war is ter
| rlble business. 1t is not so bad between two
armies. Regular soldiers expect to kill and be
| killed, but such war rs we had right here be-
| tween the lines, with friends and netghbors
and brothers cutting each others throats--I
tell YOU sir, it was rough"
/ looked out upon the clusters OF white farm
houses dotting the hisides and resting in the
valleys. II seemed to me that peace had
relgned there forever.
Odd you have much trouble right around
| herc?' | asked.
We'll you would have thought So" ro-
piled the captain, gloomily. DO you remem-
Der speaking to me about the Widow Scott and
remarltine that She had a very sad lace?'
eyes" ! answered with some interest,
was she the heroine or the victim of some
war tragcdy?'
"a yictin,' said the captain, jerking the
words out with something of an effort.
You know, )" he resumed, Chat we vera
about half union aud half confederate in this
neghborhood. Weil,Gs fast rs the boys were old
enough TO shoulder a niusllet they slipped off,
some going to the GedcrlIS, ana others joining
| The confcderates.
$50 Things rocked along until Burnside was
III hhbANliIctHllN INlGHifttt WIS advancing on
| HIM through the mountains. AZ that time I
| had been away from here for about two years,
| but when longSiIccts light wing got over
yondcr behind the range, | came hero with q
squad oi cavalry To pick up y few cOnScripts.
"Whew! But we found Il regular hornets
nest There were some good confederaes, OF
course, but then thorc were lots oil uuionsts,
and we saw trouble all the time.
rive shot Il number Of buShWhaClIers just az
we found them, without going through the
formaIity of trial ] have never regretted
that. They were robbers and assassins hiding
in the woods and making war upon both sides,
sparjng nothing that came in their way. No,
l see nothing TO regret in all that"
The etclan whiliod away vigorously at bis
pipe:
"You said something about the Widow
Scott" / suggested.
Eyes believe did. Well it is still a sore
subject with me, but | will tell YOU the story.
In those times you must understand that this
valley was regarded by common consent rs %
sort of neutral ground. There was no agree
ment to that effect between military men, but
we naturally fell into il, and il was % common
thing for some of Burnside's men to run down
and visit theis homes, while some Of Long
stroets soldiers would slip over here for the
same purpose.
"Ainong tho unionists in the valley was
young fellow namod John Scott. We had
played together, goAe to the same school, and
courted the same girls, and was sorry enough
whenf came along in the fall Of siXty-four, TO
find that John had joined Burnside. A week
before my arrival John had paid q flying visit
10 tIe y'ley anu liau ni'tIflcu Aiico DaVsithe
| prettlest glrl III fast tennessee.
"Some Of my men did not like John They
had an old grudge against him, and they urged
me to capture him whom he made his next
visit to his bride. kicked against this.
told them tli't 9ohn was no bushWhacker. He
was q brave soldier, and if he wanted to see
ms NIUE Wie had no oblecton. BESIDES, L
toid ucin thaI we were between INC INES ana
our ola friends considered u neutral ground,
| aud in honor hound n their
wishes maze the poht tlat we hal conlncd
our operations TO the next county, We had
simply made our headquarters III the valley
alia hla never m0iGsteu tiie people thefe'
-, L IhiSht as wen nave 'tihe" 10 Inc Wlhd.
three OF my men men SWofe t,at they Wohd can
turo Johh or XII hlhi' Sald nothing, but
ktpt my eyes Widc open,
'Ohe hlght 1ouhd lGeSe ibree ielloWs mss
ing. a low CAUTIOUS inquiries bapshed me
that thcfe was trouble aheAd. IN some way
the runor had got out that John was coming
home that night ana my thlce men, rem
forced by several confederate synpathzers,
had decided to make 1T hot Tor him,
81 started oil ON foot up the valley in the
direction ct me cottage where Johns wife
lived, J hardly knew what TO do. If | had
known The man route could have headed
him off, but, not knowing anything about it,
decided to hunt up my men, and see ii | could
not break mp their arrangements.
Just by the roadside IN front Of the cottage,
fifty yards from the house. was little grove
OF trees. Ii was bright moonlight night,
and anyone stationed IN The grove could see
anybody approaching or leaving the house. 1t
struck me that johns enemies wculd select
the grove as their hiding place, and without
! stopping TO consider the danger, / plunged
headlong into 1t.
The a3cals had seen me, and almost before
] knew It they had me tied to u tree and
gagged 50 that ! could make no cutlery IL
was all done IN second, and before could
recover from my surprise, heard somebody
at distance whistling The Girl | Left Be-
hind Me- The whistler rapidly approached
suntil he came IN sight; and recognized the
face and form Of john Scott
Somebody in the house heard the familiar
tune slender girl with bunch Of flowers
at her throat opened the door and stood cxpec-
family on the piazza. had a good view OF
her, and had never seen her look prettier.
with brisk, eager step John came down
the road. His wife ran down the steps, and
could see her dress iiuttering as she sped to-
wards the gate; -,...,